Steel frame refrigerator car



Dec. 11,1934.

D. L. REYNOLDS STEEL FRAME REFRIGERATORCAR Filed April 25,

1930' 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 11, 1934. D. REYNOLDS 1,983,881

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STEEL FRAME REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed April 25, 1930 8Sheets-Sheet 4 z 1012741 a 81206 537 32 47 41225 5 6 32 f5 29 3 N N N i $88 w my-x ATTORNEYDec. 11, 1934. D. REYNOLDS STEEL FRAME REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed April 25,1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 /m/ds ATTORZVEY STEEL FRAME REFRTGERATOR CAR FiledApril 25, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 [1V VENTO]? BY Dam/2W7 Fey/70k);

A 7'1 OZWVEY IIIIIIIIIIL Dec. 11, 1934-. REYNOLDS 1,983,381

STEEL FRAME REFRIGERATOR CAR AN JJVVEWTOR f 2\ ,4 Dam/017 13.1% 7707 iATTORNEY Dec. 11,* 1934. D, L, REYNoLDs 1,983,881

STEEL FRAME REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed April 25, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 8Patented E). ii, 1934 res PATET osic isaassi srnnr. mam: REFRIGERATORcan Damian L. Reynolds, Hiilsborough, CaliL, assignor of one-fourth toLuther L. Yates, one-fourth to Loyd E. Cartmiil, and one-fourth to JamesKing, all of San Francisco, Calif.

Application April 25, 1 .930, Serial No. 447,244

19 Claims. (Cl. 105-407) This invention relates to a refrigerator car,andespecially to one that utilizes a metal framework.

Steel refrigerator cars have the obvious advantage of strength, but theymust be carefully insulated against transfer of heat to the carinterior. It is well-known that metal parts, such as numerous rivets orbolts or braces that have surfaces exposed both inside and outside thecar serve effectively to conduct heat into the car. Furthermore, theyact as heat reservoirs, which are highly undesirable.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a refrigerator car,the frame of which includes steel bracing, which is totally encased byheat insulating material. Thus the loss of refrigeration by heattransfer is very materially reduced.

It is another object of my invention to provide a girder type ofstructural steel construction for such cars in which the metal isutilized most advantageously, and preferably by utilizing braces thatare in tension rather than in compression. These girders, in mypreferred form, are supplemented by plates and sills of insulationmaterial, such as wood,which serve to take substantially all of thecompressive stresses.

In refrigerator cars it is often desirable to remove the car structurefrom the underframe or chassis, to repair or replace parts. In steelcars as heretofore made, no great care has been taken to facilitate suchremoval. It is another object of my invention to provide a car structurein which the superstructure can easily be removed without disturbing theparts, and as a unit. This is accomplished oy the use of a boltedconstruction holding the car body and the chassis together. The boltscan be tightened as required to overcome any tendency toward .loosenessdue to warping, shrinking or sidesway.

It is another object of my invention in general to simplifythe structureof such refrigerator cars, as by the reduction of parts making up thecar frame.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a combinationsteel and wood car in which no mortise and tenon joints are used,

whereby replacement of broken parts is simplifled.

In refrigerator cars, it is customary to use floor racks in the cargospace-upon which the cargo is placed. This ensures against moisture,which construction at the car end;

may find its way into the cargo compartment, damaging the goods. It isstill another object of my invention to provide a simple and improvedform of holding means for these racks, and especially by the aid ofmetal clips attached to the steel framework.

My invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objectswhich may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of oneembodiment of my invention. For this purpose I have shown a form in thedrawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. Ishall now proceed to describe this form in detail, which illustrates thegeneral principles of my invention; but it is to be understood that thisdetailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since thescope of my invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a refrigerator car embodying myinvention, the left hand portion being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section of the lower side portion of thecar;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section of the roof structure;

Fig; 4 is an end view of the car;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken partly through the icecompartment and partly through the cargo compartment;

Fig. 6'is an enlarged section of the longitudinal sill structure takenthrough the cargo compartment;

7 is a horizontal longitudinal view, the lower half being a sectionabove the sills, and the upper half being a plan of the substructure,with the wall structure in section;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the side door and jambstructure;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section, taken along plane 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along plane 10--10 of Fig.8;

Fig. 11 is a detail section taken along plane 1111of Fi 8;

' Fig. 12 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section, taken throughthe door, and shortened in order to reduce the size of the figure;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary transverse section, taken near the top or roofof the car;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary horizontal section, taken near the corner toshow the comer post construction;

Fig. 15 is an elevationof the truss or girder Fig. 16 is an-elevation ofthe trussor girder construction at the sides of the car;

Fig. 17 is a. diagrammatic perspective View of the complete frameworkincorporating my invention;

Fig. 18 is an enlarged side section of a portion of the frameworkshowing how the floor racks are supported; and

Fig. 19 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 18.

In general, the refrigerator car has the usual chassis or running gear,including the longitudinal beams 21 (Figs. 1 and 5), and wheels 22 (Fig.l) Transverse beams such as 23 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6) are also indicated.Forming a rectangular frame directly above the beams 23, are a series ofangle irons 24, 25 (Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6). These angle irons have theirhorizontal legs permanently attached to the beam structure 21. Thevertical legs form a frame to accommodate the wood sill beams 26, 27(Figs. 2, 5, 6, 9, 12, 1'7) Longitudinal wooden beams 28 (Figs 5 and '7)are fastened permanently to the cross beams 23.

Fastened directly to the sills 26 are the transverse tongue and groovefloor boards 29 (Figs. 2, 5, 6, 7, 18). As shown most clearly in Fig. 2,these floor boards are omitted beneath the ice compartment 30, and ametal pan 31 forms the bottom 'of this compartment. The structureforming the ice compartment 30 at each end of the car will be describedhereinafter. It is sufficient at the present time to note that the metalpan 31 extends substantially entirely across the car at each end thereofand forms a bottom portion depressed below the top surface of the floorboards 29.

The entire car superstructure is supported on the sills 26, 27. This isuseful because this superstructure can be removed from the frames formedby the angle irons 24-25 when desired; for replacement or repair. Inorder to facilitate the removal of this superstructure, use is made of aseries of fastening devices that pass through the sills 26, 27 and thatcan be unfastened exteriorly of the car. Thus, as shown most clearly inFigs. 5, 6, and 'l, a series of bolts 32 serve to hold the structuralsteel framework to the top of these sills. The bottom angle irons forthe structural steel framework are indicated in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 15, 16and 17 at 33', 34 and will be described in detail later. These bolts 32have an intermediate enlarged portion 34 (Fig. 6) accommodated in arecess,35 at the bottom of the sill 26 and 27, whereby by tightening thenuts 36, the structural steel framework or truss can be rigidly andpermanently attached to the top surfaces of the sills 26-2'7. Each ofthe bolts 32 also has an extension 37, which extends through appropriateapertures in the horizontal flanges of angle irons 24, 25. Theseextensions are threaded to accommodate the fastening nuts 38. It isapparent that by removing these nuts 38 from each of the bolts 32 in theseries, the entire superstructure can be lifted off the chassis.

Before proceeding further with a description of the side end and wallstructures of the superstructure, I shall explain how the heatinsulation layers are applied to the floor. Referring particularly toFigs. 5, 6, and 12, there is shown a wood layer 39 supported on thehorizontal flanges of the angle irons 40 fastened to the sills 26.Directly above this layer of wood, there is disposed hair or feltinsulation 41 held in place as by the cleats 42. Above the cleats 42 isdisposed a layer 43 of rigid insulation material, such as celotex.Spaced above this rigid layer is another layer of compressible hair orfelt 44 held in place by the cleats 45.

One of the important features of my invention resides in the use ofstructural steel or metal frames or trusses to form a framework for thelongitudinalsides of the car as well as the ends of the car. I shallfirst describe the truss framework for the sides of the car. Referringmore particularly to Figs. 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 16 and 1'7, there are shownthe longitudinal lower horizontal angle irons 33. These angles areplaced immediately on top of wooden sill 26, as explained heretofore.

There is an interruption at the center portion of the car to provide adoor opening on each side of the car as indicated more particularly inFigs. 16 and 17. Vertical members, such as 45, formed of angle irons areused in conjunction with the longitudinal top brace 46 to provide ingeneral a rectangular structure. This brace 46 extends throughoutsubstantially the whole length of the car and across the door openings.Slanting braces 47, tied to the other angle irons 33, 45 and 46 are alsoprovided to ensure sufficient rigidity. For fastening the braces 47, useis made of gusset plates, such as 48. Horizontal bracing 49 is alsoindicated. These are in the form of wooden joists and are held in placeas by angle clips 50. The top angles 46 carry the longitudinalhorizontal corner. beams 51, as by the through bolts 52 extendingthrough the horizontal flange of the angles 46.

Forming the ceiling of the car, there is a wooden tongue and groovestructure 53 (Figs. 3, 5, 12 and 13) which extends across the car exceptwhere the hatch openings 54' are located for loading the icecompartment. This tongue and groove wood ceiling is supported in amanner to be hereinafter described. To provide additional heatinsulation at the ceiling, a layer of celotex 54 spaced above theceiling structure 53 is provided; and over this are disposed severallayers of hair, felt, or the like 55.

These various layers 53, 54 and 55 are suspended from the roof of thecar in any ap-' propriate manner. For example, the ridge beam 5'7 andthe spaced beams 58 upon which the roof boards 59 are fastened can serveas a support for transverse suspension members 60 (Figs. 1 and 3). Thesemembers 60 have horizontal portions extending over the layers 55.Underneath the celotex layer 54 are disposed the transverse fasteningstrips 61. To the lower surfaces of these transverse strips are nailedor otherwise attached the tongue and groove ceiling boards 53.

I shall now describe the manner in which the end trusses are made andsupported at the two ends of the car. The end trusses are shown in asomewhat diagrammatic fashion in Figs. 15 and 17. Since both end framesare similar in structure, but one of them will be detailed.

The cross sills 2'7 (Figs. 2, 15 and 17) are fastened to the end angleirons 25 in a manner similar to the fastening of the side sills 26 tothe side angle irons 24. Spaced immediatelyon the top surface of thiscross sill 27 is the framework, including a horizontal angle 62.Vertical side angles 63 are joined to the lower angle 62 as well as tothe top angle 64. Intermediate vertical angles 65 are also provided, aswellas the cross braces 66. Gusset plates 67 serve togtie these variousbraces and angles together. Horizontal wood beams or plates 68 arefastened to the vertical surface coacting with the end angles 45 and 93.

Bolts 71 are indicated in Fig. 14, and hold these vertical angle members.45 and 63 to the corner posts.

It is particularly to be noted that these corner posts 70 are squaredat, both the top and bottom, as indicated in the diagrams oi Figs. 15,16, d 17. Due to this feature, replacement or removal of these cornerposts is much more easily accomplished than if mortise and tenon jointswere utilized. The door posts 72 are similarly fastened to thecontiguous upright angles 45. These posts are also square ended, forready removal and replacement.

The lower surfaces of these posts of course rest upon the sill beams 26and 27, to which they may, if desired, be attached. Their upper surfacescontact with the top longitudinal beams 51, as well as to the transversebeams 73 (Fig. 17)

This combination wood and steel framework, as just described, presentsmany advantages. Due to the incorporation of the wood corner posts andthe wood horizontal braces, such as 49 and 68,

it is a simple matter to attach multiple layers of heat insulatingmaterial both to the inside and the outside of the structure.

In this way the steel framework is completely enclosed, none of the twosurfaces being exposed either inside or outside of the car. Thus therecan be no sub- .the greater part of the compressive stresses, and

the steel takes the greater part of the tensile stresses. Due to thisarrangement, lighter steel work can be utilized, while yet maintainingthe strength of the truss structure at its high desired value.

I shall now describe, how the insulation layers are supported and placedover both the inside and the outside of the car.

Referring now to Figs. 5, 6, 9 and 14, there are slabs 74 of celotex orother comparatively rigid insulating material placed on the inside ofthe car and supported on the comer post 70, the door post 72 and on thewood members'49 and 68. Disposed over these slabs 74 are thecompressible felt or hair layers 75. These extend from the floor to theceiling as indicated most clearly in Figs. 6 and 12; They can be heldinplace at the bottom between the cleats 76 and 77 (Fig. 6) and at thetop by the cleats 78 engaging an overhanging shoulder of the top beams51. Vertical cleats 79 (Fig. 14) cooperate with the corner post 70 forattaching these layers 75 thereto; and intermediate cleat supports 80and 81 (Fig. 7) are utilized to keep these insulation layers in placealong the side of the car.

To form the inner walls of the car the usual tongue and groove boards 82can be provided which can be supported on the cleats 78, 79 and 80. Itis thus apparent that all of the layers 74,

93, cooperating with the horizontal brace members, such as 49.

The external insulation is applied in a somewhat analogous manner. Slabs84 of celotex or the like are fastened to the wooden members such as 49and 51 to form an external layer. Over this is disposed one or morelayers of hair or felt 85. These two layers 84 and 85 can be held inplace by horizontal and vertical cleats, such as 36 (Fig. 12), 87 (Fi14), 88 (Figs. andfi). Disposed over this layer 85 1s a matched woodlayer 89 which is made of tongue and groove material, as

shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 14. This exand under the eaves of. theroof boards 59 and is held in place by the aid of cleats 90. As isusual, a running board arrangement 91 supported by a number of straps 92can'be provided. Hatch covers 93 are also indicated in Fig. 5.

The door structure is indicated most clearly in Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11 and12. In these figures, there are indicated the two hinged doors 94, 95having beveled contacting faces, such as shown in Fig. 11. The usualhinge handle structures can be provided. It is also apparent, as shownin Fig. 9, thatthe top and bottom surfaces of these door members slopeinwardly so as to provide a tight closure against the ceiling and thefloor. The doors 94 and 95 are placed in the frame formed by thevertical posts 72 and the sill structures. Door headers 96 are providedat the top, having a sloping bottom face coacting with the top surfacesof the doors. These headers 96 are fastened to the steel frameworkrepresented in Fig. 9 by the angle section 46. Similarly, the door sillis formed by a transverse horizontal member 98, over which is disposed asloping sheet metal member 99 forming the threshold. This member 98 canbe joined as indicated in Fig. 9 to the sill members 26.

As indicated most clearly in Figs. 1, 5 and 7, a bulkhead is formed ineach end of the car, to define the ice compartment 30. This bulkhead, in

' the present instance, is shown as formed by a series of verticalcolumn structures 97. A perforated steel wall 100 is supported on thesecolumns. In the present instance a basket is provided for the ice in thecompartment by the wire mesh screen 101 indicated in Fig. 7. This screen101 is fastened in place on vertical wooden supports 102. Grate bars 103formed of U-shaped sheet metal are supported at the bottom of the icecompartment 30 on appropriate supports 105 (Fig. 2).

A pair of wooden bulkhead doors is provided between the bulkhead columns97 and the cargo compartment, these doors swinging on the verticalhinges 106. A metal quadrant track 107 (Fig. 7) can be disposed on thefloor rack 108 to guide the rollers on doors 106 when they are open.

The floor rack 108 is shown in Figs. 1, 5, 6, 7, 18

and 19. They include the longitudinal disposed supports 109 and thecross slats 110 are arranged in spaced relation to each other. As shownmost clearly in Fig. 7, there is a floor rack for each half of the carfloor.

In order to make it possible conveniently to remove and replace thefloor racks,- as may be needed for cleaning or repairing the car, thereare preferably provided hinges whereby the floor racks can be folded upalong the longitudinal sides of the car. These hinges are indicated inFigs. 7, 18 and 19 at 111. The steel truss structure'is provided with a.series of metal clips 112 to serve as a. support for these hinges.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that the steel frameworkused in the car is completely covered with heat insulating material, sothat no part of it is in contactwith the outside or the inside of thecar. To the steel framework is attached the door sills, as well as thetop beams, which take the majority of the compressive stresses, andwhich also serve effectively to insulate the steel frame from theinterior of the car. It is also apparent that the whole superstructurecan be removed by removing the nuts 38 from the bolts 32. Bolts 32 and52 can be tightened as required to compensate for wood shrinkage. Inorder to facilitate repair all corner posts and door posts are made withsquare ends.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car, means forming the walls thereof, including arigid metal framework, and heat insulating material substantiallyentirely encasing said framework, and so arranged that substantially nopart of the framework is in direct contact with conducting material onthe exterior or interior of the car.

2. In a refrigerator car, a rigid structural metal framework for forminga wall structure for the car, and heat insulation material supported onsaid framework and substantially entirely encasing the same and soarranged that substantially no part of the framework is indirect contactwith conducting material on the exterior or interior of the car.

3. A refrigerator car having structural truss I members for formingrigid wall supports, characterized by the provision of one or morelayers of heat insulating material both on the inner and outer surfacesof the walls and so arranged that no part of said truss is in directcontact with conducting material on the exterior or interior of the car.

4:. A metal car truss framework for the car wall, having metal top andbottom horizontal members, wood members secured to and overlying saidtop and bottom members, and heat insulation material supported on saidframework and substantially entirely encasing the same, and so arrangedthat no part of the framework is in direct contact with conductingmaterial on the exterior or interior of the car.

5. A truss framework for forming a car wall, including horizontal topand bottom members of metal, metallic cross members connecting saidhorizontal members, horizontal wood beams, attached to the top andbottom horizontal members, and intermediate horizontal wood beams, andinsulation material substantially entirely encasing the metal framework,and so arranged that no part of the framework is in direct contactwithconducting material on the exterior or interior of the car.

6. In a refrigerator car, means forming the wall of the car, including atruss structure having horizontal top and bottom chord members of metal.horizontal wood beams attached to the said chord members, one or moreintermediate substantially horizontal wood braces between the top andbottom members, and a multi-layer heat insulation material fastened tothe wood beams and braces on both sides of the truss.

7. In a superstructure for a refrigerator car, sills at the lower edgesof the car, wall structures supported on said sills and permanentlyattached thereto, and fastening devices, accessible from the exterior ofthe car, for removably fastening the sillsjto a chassis structure,whereby the superstructure can be secured to or removed from the chassisas a unit."

8. The combination as set forth in claim 7, in which the sills are heldto the wall structures by bolts, and in which the fastening devices forthe sills are extensions of said bolts.

9. In a refrigerator car, means forming the walls thereof, including arigid metal truss, means forming the floor of the car, a floor rackcovering the floor, and means forming the hinge support for the rack,said means being fastened to the truss, and insulation materialsubstantially en tirely encasing the truss.

10. In a refrigerator car, a metallic framework providing a strongsupport for the superstructure, a chassis structure, said frameworkbeing characterized in that it is capable of being installed on orremoved from the chassis structure as a unit, and an insulation materialsubstantially entirely encasing the framework, and so arranged that nopart of the framework is in direct contact with conducting material onthe exterior or interior of the car.

11. In a superstructure for a refrigerator car, sills at the lower edgesof the car, said sills being formed of a material resistant to theconduction and transmission of heat, and metallic wall structuressupported on said sills and permanently attached thereto.

12. In a superstructure for a refrigerator car, sills at the lower edgesof the car, said sills being formed of a material resistant to theconduction and transmission of heat, wall structures supported on saidsills and permanently attached thereto, and fastening devices, saidfastening devices being accessible from the exterior of the car forfastening the sills to a chassis structure.

13. The combination as set forth in claim 12, in which the sills areheld to the wall structures by bolts, and in which the fastening meansare extensions of said bolts.

14. In a superstructure for a refrigerator car, sills at the lower edgesof the car, said sills being formed of a material resistant to theconduction and transmission of heat, a metallic framework to providestrength for the superstructure of the car, said framework beingsupported on and permanently secured thereto, and forming with the sillsa unit, capable of being installed on or removed from a chassisstructure as such, and fastening means accessible from the exterior ofthe car for fastening the sills to the chassis structure.

15. In a superstructure for a refrigerator car, sills at the lower edgesof the car, said sills being formed of a material resistant to theconduction and transmission of heat, a metallic framework to providestrength for the superstructure of the car, said framework beingsupported on and permanently secured thereto, and forming with the sillsa unit, capable of being installed on or removed from a chassisstructure as such, fastening means accessible from the exterior of thecar for fastening the sills to the chassis structure, and a materialresistant to the conductivity of heat for substantially entirelyencaslng the framework.

16. In a metallic side and end framework constructed as a unit andadapted to be removably secured to the chassis of a refrigerator car,means secured to said metallic framework whereby an insulation materialmay-be attached thereto in order to restrict the transfer of heat fromthe outside atmosphere to the interior of the car, and so arranged thatno part of the framework is in accessible from the exterior of the carfor fasdirect contact with conducting material on the exterior orinterior of the car.

17. In a metallic side and end framework for a refrigerator car, meanssecured to said framework whereby an insulation material may be attachedthereto in order to restrict the transfer of heat from the outsideatmosphere to the interior of the car, and wood beams attached to thetop and bottomof the sides of the framework, said wood beams formingwith the framework a unit capable of being installed on or removed froma chassis structure as such.

18. In a metallic side and end framework for a refrigerator car, meanssecured to said framework whereby an insulation material may be attachedthereto in order to restrict the transfer ofheat from the outsideatmosphere to the interior of the car, wood beams attached to the topand bottom of the sides of the framework, said wood beams forming withthe framework a unit capable of being installed on or removed from achassis structure as such, and fastening means tening the bottom woodbeams to the chassis structure. V

19. In a metallic side and end framework for a refrigerator car, meanssecured to said framework whereby an insulation material may be attachedthereto in order to restrict the transfer of heat from the outsideatmosphere to the interior of the car, wood beams attached to the topand bottom ofthe sides of the framework, said wood beams forming withthe framework a unit capable of being installed on or removed from achassis structure as such, and fastening means accessible from theexterior of the car for fastening the bottom wood beams to the chassisstructure, said fastening means comprising elongated bolts andcooperating nuts for permanently attaching the framework to the bottomwood beams, whereby a means is provided from the exterior of the car forcompensating for the expansion andcontraction 2 of the bottom woodbeams.

- DAMIAN L. REYNOLDS.

